Mississippi Quilts (Paperback)

~ Mary Elizabeth Johnson (Author), J. D. Schwalm (Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Following the pattern of several other states, the Mississippi Quilt Association's Heritage Quilt Search Project was a six-year effort to examine and document the state's quilting traditions. Association members examined more than 1700 quilts from public and private collections, finally choosing 140 quilts created between the early 1800s and 1946, after which synthetic fabrics and battings became available. Johnson (The America Quilt) describes the quilts within the social and cultural traditions of Mississippi and offers detailed discussions on the pattern, maker, date, current owner, and dimensions. Often a photograph of the quilt maker is included. Chapters detail the wide range of styles represented in Mississippi quilt-making traditions in various time periods, from 1826 through the Civil War and Reconstruction periods and into the 20th century, with a chapter on the continuation of the tradition today. Combining social history and artistic analysis, this examination of Mississippi's quilting heritage is for all libraries in Mississippi and for quilt and folk art collections. Judith Yankielun Lind, Roseland Free P.L., NJ
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

For generations, hundreds of Mississippi women have stitched quilts, creating a rich body of folk art and enlivening the centuries-old tradition of quilting.

The Mississippi Quilt Association embarked on a six-year project to document this significant craft heritage. Throughout the state, association members gathered heirloom quilts from families and from major collections. Of more than 1700 quilts examined, 140 were chosen for full-color photographs to represent the very best from the state.

Co-published with the Association, Mississippi Quilts is a thorough examination of the state's quilting heritage before 1946, when synthetic fabrics and batting became widely available. The featured quilts, created from the early 1800s to 1946, are joined by archival black-and-white illustrations of selected quilt makers and by historical photos by Eudora Welty.

From the beginning of the project, Welty, a Mississippi writer and photographer, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and a member of the Mississippi Quilt Association, served as Honorary Chair. Mississippi Quilts features five of Welty's photographs as chapter dividers, along with quilt-related quotations from her work.

Most of the quilts featured are handmade. Each is described by pattern, date, maker, current owner, material specifications, and size. Quilts from such prominently known makers as Hystercine Rankin and Martha Skelton are handsomely presented alongside group works by family artisans of superb skill.

The book contains 152 color photographs of Mississippi quilts and photographs of a number of quilt makers. Exemplified is a wide range of quilts, from exquisite broderie perse to humble string quilts pieced on paper and made from an assortment of scrap fabric, including feed sacks. Examples of the more popular patterns-Double Wedding Ring, Friendship-Autograph, a myriad of different stars, Grandmother's Flower Garden, and Nine Patch-are included. Also pictured are more unusual patterns such as original applique designs, rare Target quilts, and crazy quilts depicting events from the makers' lives.

Intended to heighten awareness of the rich culture of quilting, this book is a combination of history and aesthetic analysis of the art in the Magnolia State. The book explores the role of quilting in Mississippi's cultural history, showing not only how these quilts are testimonies to artistry and ingenuity, but also how they are significant to the families and communities in which they were created. Also, Mary Elizabeth Johnson, author of many books on quilting, discusses the similarities and differences among quilts from different cultural traditions.

Finally, Mississippi Quilts features a bonus chapter that showcases current quilters who are continuing and expanding on the practice of one of the state's finest folk art traditions.

Mary Elizabeth Johnson is a publishing consultant, freelance writer, and editor. She is the author of Quilt Inspirations from Africa: A Caravan of Ideas, Patterns, Motifs, and Techniques (2000), The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort, 1750-1950 (1993), Star Quilts (1992), and A Garden of Quilts (1984). She is the editorial director of Wordcraft, a publishing company based in Montgomery, Alabama.

J. D. Schwalm is a photographer for the Clarion-Ledger, Jackson's daily newspaper.

Copublished with the Mississippi Quilt Association

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Mississippi (July 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578063582
• ISBN-13: 978-1578063581
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 10 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #673,322 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mississippi History, November 28, 2001

By	Marilyn Lavender (Columbus, Mississippi USA) - See all my reviews

This wonderful book not only teaches you about quilts, it also teaches you about the state of Mississippi history. I learned facts I had not known. Such as, Mississippi was one of the five wealthiest states in the Union before the Civil War. And of course this was from the cotton plantations, which supplied the cotton to make quilts. A must read for anyone interested in antiquity of our state.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mississippi Quilts by Mary Elizabeth Johnson, October 24, 2001

By	Fawn Valentine (Lewisburg, WV United States) - See all my reviews

Collectors of state quilt books will not want to miss this important addition to their library.

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, November 26, 2008

By	Susan Kilpatrick "Soul Cat" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While the book is indeed lovely, a very important element was omitted - quilts by contemporary African Americans. There are a few "slave" quilts, but nothing representing the rich culture of African Americans. In my opinion, the book is representative of only half of Mississippi's quilters.